Stella Grant
Stella, the novel’s protagonist, is a high school senior with cystic fibrosis. Stella’s illness has caused her to spend many extended periods throughout her life in Saint Grace’s Hospital, where the novel takes place…
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Will Newman
Will, the secondary protagonist of Five Feet Apart, is a high school senior with a terminal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis complicated by B. cepacia. The bacterial infection means that Will is ineligible for…
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Poe
Poe, another cystic fibrosis patient, met Stella when they were six years old. Poe and Stella are best friends, and they share many fond memories of the time they’ve spent together at Saint Grace’s over…
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Barb
Barb is one of Stella’s primary nurses. Stella and Barb have a close, almost mother-daughter relationship, as Barb has cared for Stella since she was six years old. Barb is deeply affected by an…
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Julie
Julie is another one of Stella, Will, and Poe’s main nurses. She is younger and newer to nursing than Barb is, and Julie is much more lenient about the hospital’s rules. For…
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Abby Grant
Abby was Stella’s older sister who died in a cliff jumping accident a year before the start of the novel. When Abby was alive, she was Stella’s biggest comfort and support. It seems that…
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Stella’s Mom
Stella’s parents drifted apart after the shock of Abby’s death and were divorced less than a year later. Stella is terrified for her parents’ wellbeing—they already lost one daughter and each other, and…
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Stella’s Dad
At the beginning of the novel, Stella’s dad has just moved into a new apartment after his divorce from Stella’s mom. When Stella video calls him, he looks depressed and exhausted. Stella feels…
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Will’s Mom
Will’s mom is wealthy, and she uses her money to send Will to various experimental drug trials for B. cepacia around the world. Will has spent the last eight months traveling from hospital to…
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Dr. Hamid
Dr. Hamid is Stella, Will, and Poe’s doctor. She does not have as much day-to-day interaction with her patients as Barb and Julie do, but she oversees their care and makes important…
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Camila and Mya
Camila and Mya are Stella’s friends. They visit Stella in the hospital, but for the much of the novel they are on their senior trip in Mexico. Stella often views their social media posts…
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Minor Characters
Michael
Michael is Poe’s boyfriend. Poe broke up with Michael before the start of the novel, but he gives the relationship another chance on Stella’s recommendation. The day after Poe dies, Michael comes to the hospital to collect his things. From the hallway, Stella sees him weeping on Poe’s bed.
Hope and Jason
Hope and Jason are a couple, and they’re Will’s close friends. The first time Stella sees Will, he lets Hope and Jason use his room to have sex, which disgusts Stella. Hope and Jason attend the surprise birthday party Stella organizes for Will.
